Posted on by Anne Sandler · 11 Comments

Wildlife? Mather Lake

Sometimes things don’t turn out the way you expected like our May outing to Mather Lake in Sacramento County. We expected the typical wildlife that we’re used to finding there, but we only found swans and fishermen! But, we’ve learned to make the best with what we get.

I was there with my Tuesday group, and we walked as far as we could around the lake. I was carrying my Nikon D7100 and my F/4, 300 mm lens. I do need to go back to using two cameras. I also need to get to the gym so I can do it! This left me sort of handicapped for landscape or wide focus shots. I made my Fitbit happy by taking some extra steps backing up to get a good compostion. While I like the results from my 300 prime lens, it is limiting,

Sometimes, when you’re not busy shooting, you experience the most outstanding interaction between birds. A swan was protecting his mate and his cygnets from a goose. The interchange was hilarous. Too bad I couldn’t catch it. My lens was too long and my reflexes too slow!

Take a look at what I saw that morning!

  • A fisherman who holds his rod.
  • This fisherman had two rods with bells on them just in case he fell asleep!
  • A goose and goslings.
  • Momma swan and cygnets.
  • The cygnets.
  • Mom’s getting a drink?
  • No rod needed for this swan!
  • A red winged black bird.
  • Two kayaks were on the lake.
  • A crackle.
  • Thistle.
  • California poppy.
Posted on by Anne Sandler · 4 Comments

Still in April! Table Mountain, Butte County

Wow, do I have to catch up with posting my photographic adventures! Here’s the last post for April and we’re ending May. I’ll try to post more frequently until I’m current.

In April we all go in search of wild flowers to photograph. I was sick from February through April with a cold that wouldn’t quit so I got out late to North Table Mountain and its beautiful wildflowers. Located in Butte County near Oroville, Table mountain consists of two flat mountain areas, North and South. The wild flowers grow on top of volcanic material which makes walking a challenge for some of us. There a numerous waterfalls, but our hike included some of the smaller ones.

After leaving Table Mountain, we stopped by the old Oregon City covered bridge. Photos are included in the gallery.

I accompanied Laura on this outing. I can’t say I was especially excited with what I saw and captured. This was my second trip to Table Mountain with about 3 years in between. Maybe my memory made things sweeter, maybe I wasn’t feeling totally well, or we got out there late in the wildflower life cycle. But, I got what I got and reviewing the images for this post, they aren’t that bad!

So here’s North Table Mountain.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 4 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day: Negro Bar, Folsom & The Nesting Tree, Lincoln

I hope all of you mothers have had a wonderful special day. I received texts and calls from family members. We also had a delicious and filling brunch with Greg and Jess and the grandkids. So here I sit ready to talk and show you where my photography passion has taken me now.

I now know that even if the outing doesn’t give you great weather, clouds or scenery, there’s always a picture worth taking and processing. Negro Bar, a State park in Folsom was sort of a disappointment since it was crowded with people and there wasn’t a promise of a great sunset. But I walked around and in the short time we were there shot these images, including visitors, people kayaking and the historic Rainbow Bridge:

My next visit was a surprise one and stretched the limits of my walk around lens, 18 – 140 mm. Marlene and I were scrapbooking at Betty Carol’s home. During a breat she took us to a special tree in Lincoln. I call the tree the Nesting Tree because of all the nests and variety of birds in it. I’ve never seen anything like it. I really couldn’t capture anything good with the lens I had with me, so I went back the following Wednesday. This time I was ready with my F/4 300 mm prime lens! It’s amazing what you can see with a little extra reach. I found Great Egrets and Blue Herons. A few weeks later, I brought Laura to the tree. She caught even more with her 600 mm lens, and saw more species. Here’s what I captured:

So, when Jess asked me what I’ve been doing lately, I talked about photo outings. Yes, photography has become a good part of my life! Again, Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 6 Comments

It’s all in a name: Folsom Zoo Sanctuary; Sacramento Zoo

I was ready with my debit and Sacramento Zoo membership cards in hand to pay for my visit at the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary only to be told that they have no affiliation with the Sacramento Zoo and couldn’t give me a discount! They were not a zoo, but a sanctuary!! That’s what’s in a name!!!

Marlene and I had visited the Folsom Zoo, in Folsom, once before and found it not too favorable for photography, but Ray set up this outing for our Tuesday group and off we went. I just wasn’t prepared for the difference between a zoo and sanctuary to be explained so explicitly and rudely. What makes one better than the other?

You might say that the sanctuary takes in animals that can’t be released into the wild while the zoo breeds animals into captivity. I find there’s a place for both. When you look at the amazment in children’s faces you understand that a zoo is where they learn about animals they may never get to see. I think it’s great that a sanctuary gives animals a home when they can’t be in the wild any longer, and their stories touch your heart. For me, there’s a place for both.

Getting back to why the Folsom Zoo is not a great place for photography, their cages are too thick. We can’t shoot through the thick metal and make it disappear. Knowing that, I just took pictures of the crowds, the beautiful landscaped and designed walkways and some animals not in caged enclosures.

Meanwhile, at the Sacramento Zoo, in Sacramento, there were so many children visiting the day we went. I couldn’t get close to some of the exhibits. Or, by the time I could take the shot, the animal was out of reach or went back inside.

So, here are a few images from both the zoo sanctuary (FZ) and the zoo (SZ)!

  • Flamingo stretching.
  • Blizzard, the male snow leopard.
  • Hungary
  • Mongoose Lemur
  • Wolf’s Guenon
  • I loved that this tree was in the center of a quad. FZ

  • Educational pieces were prominent. FZ

  • One of the pretty enclosures. FZ

  • A walkway. FZ
  • Keeping the enclosure clean. FZ
  • Tiles made by children. FZ
  • A peacock. FZ
  • A deer. FZ
  • The barn. FZ
  • One of the keepers who was willing to pose. FZ
  • A beautiful wolf that was a favorite. FZ
Posted on by Anne Sandler

A bright spot in April: Crystal Hermitage Garden, Ananda Villiage

The tulips bloom only in April at the Crystal Hermitage Garden in Ananda Village in Nevada County. So, we waited for sunshine and no rain. We finally decided to go when there would be a possibility of sunshine, meaning partly cloudy with some sun. This resulted with some tulips open, but most shut.

But it was worth the trip. Planted each year, the gardens are always beautiful and attract visitors from all over to see the more than 17,000 plants. This quote was taken from one of their sites.
“We planted over 111 varieties of mid and late season Dutch bulbs this year,” said lead Gardener, Nancy Mair. “We blend tulips with a rainbow of complementary pansies, wisteria, rhododendrons, azaleas, peonies, dogwood trees and the fabulous cherry tree, so that guests enjoy a different garden in each terrace.”

I’ll admit that I was upset that after waiting, we still were under dark skys for most of our time there. But, as usual, it was a great experience. Until next April here are some of the images I took.